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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
I'm glad this series is over. I'm glad it ended how it did. The writing continued to be awful, the plot a little unrealistic, but I still have an inexplicable attachment to this series.
This review may have slight spoilers so read at your own risk. Tried to hide the major ones.
This was my first book for the Spook-a-thon event, hosted by BooksandLala. For more info, go here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz7FYA22fT4
Vicious met the first challenge of being a Thriller.
Plot:
I was excited to get to the last book of this series. Don't get me wrong, the books are fun (and the show!) but the series was way too dragged out. Still, I was too invested to stop and I'm happy I got to the end.
For the most part, the plot is pretty unpredictable. Some parts seemed a bit over the top but this is PLL we're talking about so you have to suspend reality to make this series work. Overall I enjoyed the plot and was entertained until the end.
Setting:
Typical Rosewood and a few other settings.Are prisons that awful, though? That seemed a bit too gross to be realistic. I know prison isn't a picnic but pretty sure there are some standards?
Characters:
I felt the girls grew more in this one than they have in others. I was particularly proud of Emily for her bravery. The antics of Aria and Spencer were enjoyable. Hanna's character, for the most part, seemed kind of boring. I was not expectingAli's mom to be helping her, though!
Relationships:
I felt the girls became stronger as a group because ofEmily's supposed suicide.
I really liked Aria and Noel in this one. Surprisingly warming up to Wren and Spencer, too though I wished Chase had come back.
Felt Hanna and Mike were a bit unrealistic with theirwedding but it was still sweet and easy to picture. I didn't buy Hanna's mom agreeing so quickly though.
Writing/Voice:
Pretty much like her other books.
Ending:
Shepard had me wondering the entire time whetherEmily was really dead or not. Her story made sense though it's unrealistic to believe you can survive a hurricane in the ocean. Still, PLL is super unrealistic so I just rolled with it. I did enjoy the confrontation between Emily and Ali. It felt right. If any girl had to do it alone, I think Emily was the girl to do so. I was also surprised that the others actually got sentenced to prison. It was definitely a twist I wasn't expecting.
The very end is a little too perfect for the girls but I like that they are happy.And of course there has to be a hint of Ali one day returning to get the girls once and for all--she never learns, does she?
Overall, Enjoyable. I probably wouldn't re-read this series as I felt it dragged on for too long and got too ridiculous but they still managed to be a fun ride. 3.5 stars.
This was my first book for the Spook-a-thon event, hosted by BooksandLala. For more info, go here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz7FYA22fT4
Vicious met the first challenge of being a Thriller.
Plot:
I was excited to get to the last book of this series. Don't get me wrong, the books are fun (and the show!) but the series was way too dragged out. Still, I was too invested to stop and I'm happy I got to the end.
For the most part, the plot is pretty unpredictable. Some parts seemed a bit over the top but this is PLL we're talking about so you have to suspend reality to make this series work. Overall I enjoyed the plot and was entertained until the end.
Setting:
Typical Rosewood and a few other settings.
Characters:
I felt the girls grew more in this one than they have in others. I was particularly proud of Emily for her bravery. The antics of Aria and Spencer were enjoyable. Hanna's character, for the most part, seemed kind of boring. I was not expecting
Relationships:
I felt the girls became stronger as a group because of
I really liked Aria and Noel in this one. Surprisingly warming up to Wren and Spencer, too though I wished Chase had come back.
Felt Hanna and Mike were a bit unrealistic with their
Writing/Voice:
Pretty much like her other books.
Ending:
Shepard had me wondering the entire time whether
The very end is a little too perfect for the girls but I like that they are happy.
Overall, Enjoyable. I probably wouldn't re-read this series as I felt it dragged on for too long and got too ridiculous but they still managed to be a fun ride. 3.5 stars.
I ACTUALLY MADE IT TO THE END !! What a ride this was !! Wow
CAREFUL, SPOILERS!
At last! After big struggles and painful reading, I got to the last book of the saga. Finally! The end was long overdue and so much needed. I thought about abandoning so many times, but I just had to know what happened... Darn them!
Since the book where real Ali appears (I just can't remember which one) everything else was just unnecesary. It felt like they were about to finish, but the sales were going up and the TV show was a big hit, so they decided to keep on going.
So we have a flashback to whatever was left out for Alison to resurface, mixed some more trouble for the girls and more drama with Tabitha (ANOTHER look alike, set aside that Ali was a twin, Spencer's half sister and I don't remember how many blond girls looking almost like her), the Pocono's house (so deranged and unnecesary), the eco cruise... I get frustrated just by thinking about it.
From the begining it didn't fit in my mind that eleven year olds were so free to do whatever they pleased around town. I guess in small communities everyone knows eachother and takes care of everybody, but little girls coming and going at their pleasure? Not so real. And, after the murder of one of those girls, didn't townspeople start to doubt each other? Set a care system for their kids? Do they care about their kids at all?
I stopped watching the TV show because I couldn't take the inane coming and going any longer, beside the bad running around scenes and the perfect hairdone teenagers, dressed up and perfectly make uped for a walk in the woods. The books have some more information but were absolutely predictable. It looked more like a kid's vision on adolescence than a young adult book series.
Good bye, PLLs, I won't miss you at all.
At last! After big struggles and painful reading, I got to the last book of the saga. Finally! The end was long overdue and so much needed. I thought about abandoning so many times, but I just had to know what happened... Darn them!
Since the book where real Ali appears (I just can't remember which one) everything else was just unnecesary. It felt like they were about to finish, but the sales were going up and the TV show was a big hit, so they decided to keep on going.
So we have a flashback to whatever was left out for Alison to resurface, mixed some more trouble for the girls and more drama with Tabitha (ANOTHER look alike, set aside that Ali was a twin, Spencer's half sister and I don't remember how many blond girls looking almost like her), the Pocono's house (so deranged and unnecesary), the eco cruise... I get frustrated just by thinking about it.
From the begining it didn't fit in my mind that eleven year olds were so free to do whatever they pleased around town. I guess in small communities everyone knows eachother and takes care of everybody, but little girls coming and going at their pleasure? Not so real. And, after the murder of one of those girls, didn't townspeople start to doubt each other? Set a care system for their kids? Do they care about their kids at all?
I stopped watching the TV show because I couldn't take the inane coming and going any longer, beside the bad running around scenes and the perfect hairdone teenagers, dressed up and perfectly make uped for a walk in the woods. The books have some more information but were absolutely predictable. It looked more like a kid's vision on adolescence than a young adult book series.
Good bye, PLLs, I won't miss you at all.
Done & dusted.
I had issues with this book, it wasn't one of the best in the series, but overall it was a satisfying end. As satisfying as it could be, when it was all supposed to end years ago!
Although I almost did, I'm glad I never gave up on PLL, because now I know everything. EVERTHING!
Relief.
I had issues with this book, it wasn't one of the best in the series, but overall it was a satisfying end. As satisfying as it could be, when it was all supposed to end years ago!
Although I almost did, I'm glad I never gave up on PLL, because now I know everything. EVERTHING!
Relief.
Id say it was nice closure. I'd be pretty upset if they add anymore.
I would have given this 3.5 stars if I could. I thought it was a great ending to the series, but I thought some of the writing was a little sloppy. I really did love it. And I'm a little sad the series has come to the end, but I'm glad I still have the TV show to watch!
I started and finished this book in the same day.
Say what you will, Sara Shepard is the type of writer that knows suspense. She knows how to pull every twist and turn and keep you biting your nails till the very last page. Vicious was fast-paced and (somewhat - I'll get to the somewhat later) satisfying.
A lot of people complained incessantly about how this series seemed to never end and sixteen books is ridiculous, but I love this series (mainly because it is one of the best murder-mystery YAs out there...Sara really knows how to write one).
We're left with Ali framing Spencer, Emily, Hanna, and Aria with her murder, leaving behind fake blood, a tooth, and an incriminating journal that almost guarantees the Liars get life in prison. The book starts right off the bat with the case and the Liars scrambling to find any evidence that points to their innocence. As always, the book starts off with a chilling POV chapter from Ali. This one, though, made me realize just how unhinged she really is.
She's not content on only giving them trauma and paranoia essentially their whole lives, but taking their whole lives as well! Maybe at one point I felt a bit sympathetic - back when she explained how her twin Courtney took everything away from her - but not anymore.
One of the most chilling parts of this book was Emily. Ali had left a deep psychological scar on her, to the point where Emily could actually hear Ali's voices taunting her in her head. (Emily twisted away, letting out a pained keening sound. 'I can't just walk away from this! I've got to get her out of my head! She's killing me!'") I'm glad Sara did this. To have someone monitoring and destroying your life is bound to affect you mentally, and Sara included the implications of it. One thing that irked me was how quickly Emily seemed to recover in the epilogue. When you hear voices in your head, they don't shut off. It takes therapy, medication, etc. I'm not speaking from experience, but anything that affects someone mentally isn't something you get rid of right away. I did find it fitting that Emily was ultimately the one who caught Ali. I had a damn strong feeling Emily was going to be the one to save their asses.
There was definitely twists in the book, though not as many as in the others. I was surprised when Ali's mother turned out to be the one harboring her. I remember Hanna and them remarking how Ali's mom was never present during the trial, however I didn't think too much of it.
There was also the wedding! I haven't particularly cared about Hanna and Mike's relationship. The wedding was one of the sweetest moments in the book, a reprieve from the insane murder trial and desperate chase to find anything that'll keep Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna out of prison.
The ending...
It leaves room open for Sara to write more. and I know I said earlier that I didn't mind how long this series is, but...enough. I don't think she'll write more anyway. The end sentence was there to once more taunt the reader, this time for one last time.
I'm a big fan of Sara's books and will for sure read the Perfectionists and the Heiress. A fitting end to a great series.
Say what you will, Sara Shepard is the type of writer that knows suspense. She knows how to pull every twist and turn and keep you biting your nails till the very last page. Vicious was fast-paced and (somewhat - I'll get to the somewhat later) satisfying.
A lot of people complained incessantly about how this series seemed to never end and sixteen books is ridiculous, but I love this series (mainly because it is one of the best murder-mystery YAs out there...Sara really knows how to write one).
We're left with Ali framing Spencer, Emily, Hanna, and Aria with her murder, leaving behind fake blood, a tooth, and an incriminating journal that almost guarantees the Liars get life in prison. The book starts right off the bat with the case and the Liars scrambling to find any evidence that points to their innocence. As always, the book starts off with a chilling POV chapter from Ali. This one, though, made me realize just how unhinged she really is.
How unbelievably luxurious that deciding what she would eat was her one and only concern! All that other stuff? She didn't feel shitty about it at all. Only the strong survive, after all. And soon enough, she'd have a new life. A better one than what she'd had in a long, long time.
And those four bitches would have no life at all.
She's not content on only giving them trauma and paranoia essentially their whole lives, but taking their whole lives as well! Maybe at one point I felt a bit sympathetic - back when she explained how her twin Courtney took everything away from her - but not anymore.
One of the most chilling parts of this book was Emily. Ali had left a deep psychological scar on her, to the point where Emily could actually hear Ali's voices taunting her in her head. (Emily twisted away, letting out a pained keening sound. 'I can't just walk away from this! I've got to get her out of my head! She's killing me!'") I'm glad Sara did this. To have someone monitoring and destroying your life is bound to affect you mentally, and Sara included the implications of it. One thing that irked me was how quickly Emily seemed to recover in the epilogue. When you hear voices in your head, they don't shut off. It takes therapy, medication, etc. I'm not speaking from experience, but anything that affects someone mentally isn't something you get rid of right away. I did find it fitting that Emily was ultimately the one who caught Ali. I had a damn strong feeling Emily was going to be the one to save their asses.
There was definitely twists in the book, though not as many as in the others. I was surprised when Ali's mother turned out to be the one harboring her. I remember Hanna and them remarking how Ali's mom was never present during the trial, however I didn't think too much of it.
There was also the wedding! I haven't particularly cared about Hanna and Mike's relationship. The wedding was one of the sweetest moments in the book, a reprieve from the insane murder trial and desperate chase to find anything that'll keep Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna out of prison.
The ending...
She measured her days by mealtimes and pill times and lights-out, but she knew this wouldn't be forever. Soon enough. said a voice in her head as she envisioned Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna. Soon enough, I'm coming to get you all.'"
It leaves room open for Sara to write more. and I know I said earlier that I didn't mind how long this series is, but...enough. I don't think she'll write more anyway. The end sentence was there to once more taunt the reader, this time for one last time.
I'm a big fan of Sara's books and will for sure read the Perfectionists and the Heiress. A fitting end to a great series.
An ending that, although overdue, successfully and satisfactorily concludes the series. It's hard not to be delighted to watch as the events unfold and everything comes around full circle.
Ah, so good to finally end this series. I really truly enjoyed this. I love the villian (Ali) and actually think she's super smart but still quite out there with some of her schemes and I think the Liars were way too naive at times. But this book was great. I'm actually happy Ali is in prison and got what she deserved but the ending with her "playing the system" makes me sign in frustration but true to her character. She is crazy. However I would like to know how she was going to destroy their lives when they are all so spread out. You cannot Cali, NYC and Philly. Rosewood was a prison to them and now they're out so I highly doubt that's going to get far..
[review to be continued]
[review to be continued]